Blood Feud
by Gorlando
Summary: An argument between best friends lead to war.


Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is Copyright (c) by Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan Inc., Kitty, and Fuji TV.Exclusively licensed throughout the United States and Canada by Viz Communications Inc.All Rights Reserved. 

Denotes thoughts. 

Blood Feud

Chapter 1.And She Stole My Heart of Hearts With a Smile

Ranma Saotome, Grand Master and Chief of all the Saotome Clan, stood on the terrace above the training grounds.His face was marked by lines of age, and the sparkle in his gray-blue eyes was dimmed by the experience accumulated from decades of war.His shoulders were squared.He stood straight and tall like all born warriors should. 

For the past 30 years, his clan had been at war with the Hibikis, a war that started with a feud between best friends.Most didn't remember what the feud was, nor did they care.Each day, many young recruits are trained for war, and each day old veteran's die because of that war. 

Ranma took a deep breath and let it out slowly.His left hand instinctively moved to tug fiercely at his pigtail.He would give his soul if he could somehow end this war and bring back peace, but he knew it was already too late.Throughout the years too many clan members on both sides had been killed, too many wrongs committed that can only be righted with bloodshed. 

Alas, the Hibikis and Saotomes, once great allies against the forces of evil, had somehow succumbed to evil itself.This war would continue.Neither clan would surrender until the other was destroyed. 

A deep voice from behind Ranma broke the chain of his thoughts."Master, your spies inform me that the Hibikis have attacked the City of Nerima.They plan to make their camp there to prepare for a strike at our Dojo." 

Ranma turned to look at his old friend.Craven stood a full foot shorter than him, but what Craven lacked in height, he more than made up with his skills in battle.Ranma let out a small sigh and balled his right hand into a tight fist."So, Ryouga wants to go another round," he turned to look at the training grounds once again."Then so be it.Tell the others to prepare for battle.We will leave for Nerima in one hour." 

Craven bowed without a word, then left to do his task. "Ryouga, for good or for ill, this will be our final battle."Ranma swore under his breath. 

---- 

In one hour, the Saotomes were assembled.They were dressed in light leather armor and armed with razor sharp, katana.Ranma mounted a powerfully built black stallion and addressed his warriors.All eyes turned upon him, and he could see the fierceness of their spirits."Today, we march against our mortal enemy, the Hibikis.They have taken the City of Nerima and are now preparing to attack our Dojo."He paused to allow his words to be absorbed. 

"But we will not let this happen.We ride to Nerima to bring this fight to them and away from our families.We will destroy the Hibikis and show them once and for all that the Saotomes are a force to be feared!"With the utterance of his last words, Ranma roared a fierce battle cry and urge his mount on a fast gallop eastward, towards Nerima. 

Standing upon the terrace overlooking the training grounds, Akane watched her husband ride off as tears rolled silently down her face.She knew of his silent oath and wished that things had turned out differently."Oh, Ranma…" 

---- 

Nerima was once a peaceful and prosperous city.People from all over the known world would come to its marketplace to exchange goods while trading tales of adventures with its people.Its tall marble buildings were built by the science of a long dead civilization. No other city could compare to its beauty. 

That all ended when the jealous feud between the Saotomes and Hibikis erupted and turned into a full-scale war.Nerima was caught in the middle, its people terrorized by both factions. 

Suddenly, the tourists and traders stopped coming.Nerima was closed off from the rest of the world, the first among many casualties of the Hibiki and Saotome war.Within a year, the once prosperous people of Nerima were reduced to scavengers.Their fields no longer grew crops because the blood of the fallen polluted it. 

Throughout the years, the people of Nerima tried to rebuild and re-plow their lands.Hoping that their city could once again be a wondrous place and for a time it was working.The fields were slowly recovering.Their crops were beginning to grow tall and healthy. 

One ironically beautiful day, the villagers saw death itself come.All hopes for a better tomorrow was instantly destroyed, and the people fell to their knees and prayed to whatever kami may be listening.They prayed for mercy and if they must die, they prayed for a swift and painless death. 

Over the eastern horizon the Hibiki clan came, riding their powerful mounts, and sending dust devils behind their passage.They rode into Nerima and immediately started killing man, woman, and child.They trampled over people and chopped heads off with their shining curved blades.Homes were burnt to the ground, and the villagers ran in all directions, fear consuming them to a point where all reason was destroyed. 

As the day grew older, the death and screams of the villagers became less and less.By nightfall, nothing was left but the bodies and ashes of the dead.The once proud people of Nerima were no more. 

The Hibikis put away their bloodstained swords and dismounted, the fire of their berserker rage slowly ebbing away. 

Ryouga Hibiki, Grand Master, and Lord of the Hibikis looked at the handiwork of his men and smiled.This village was now theirs and soon, so will Saotome's head!He raised his right fist and shouted a chant."Victory!Victory!"Soon all the others joined him.Their chants and laughter could be heard for miles. 

---- 

Hours later, when the Hibikis settled themselves around a blazing fire, Ryouga watched his men from afar.His stance was honorable, almost regal.He had a large scar running from the tip of his chin to the top of his forehead, running over his nose and between two narrowed brown eyes. 

He touched the scar on his face and frowned slightly, he remembered who had given it to him, and his voice was filled with hatred when he uttered the name."Ranma, you will die for humiliating me, you and all your kin.This I swear," 

His oath was disturbed by the sound of hooves.Before Ryouga knew what was happening, the Saotomes came down upon him and his men with the vengeance of titans. 

Ryouga screamed for his men to arm themselves even as a sword was thrust deep into his chest.The pain was unbearable and his eyes began to lose its focus.He stared at the sword and up to the face of the man wielding it before his body collapsed and all life left his eyes. 

Ranma withdrew his sword and stared down at the body of his enemy.All around him, Saotomes and Hibikis fought with the ferociousness of rabid animals, and the fields were once again bathed in the blood of fallen warriors.Only this time, there would be no rebuilding. 

The battle lasted throughout the night.The Hibikis fought bravely and well, but they were simply not match for the shear numbers of the Saotome warriors. 

After the battle, Ranma ordered the bodies of both clans to be piled at the center of the village.He looked once more at the body of Ryouga and somehow he was not gratified.His archenemy was dead.His own sword killed the leader of the Hibikis.He should have been happy, but all he felt was guilt. 

He remembered the happier times of his youth, times when he would spar playfully with a certain bandanna clad, lost boy. He knelt down onto one knee and began to pray for the dead.The others did the same as the pile of bodies was lit on fire. 

The stench of burning flesh filled the air and entered Ranma's nostrils, almost making him sick.With his head bowed, his warriors did not see a small tear escape his eyes and run down his cheek.Were all these deaths necessary?Was Shampoo's?Was Ukyou's?Was Ryouga's? he asked himself, momentarily letting go of his emotions as his body was racked with grief. 

Everyone stood up and gazed at the huge bonfire of bodies, each of them wrestling with inner demons of their own, and wishing that this war would end with the death of Ryouga but knowing that the only end will be in their deaths. 

Ranma remained kneeling.His strength had left him, and he would have stayed kneeling if not for the voice calling him."Master.Master, are you all right?"Craven asked as he put his hand gently upon Ranma's shoulder. 

Ranma rose slowly and addressed his friend, his tears, and grief hidden behind a mask of confidence."I'm all right, Craven,"he looked once more at the bonfire."When the fire dies, order everyone to spread the ashes in all directions.Let the evil of this night be abolished by the wind." 

"Yes, Master," Craven bowed respectfully and left his master alone. 

Ranma turned from the fire and walked away, deep in thought.He thought about the war between his clan and the Hibikis.Were all these deaths worth it?Was there a way to end this needless bloodshed and somehow reunite the clans?Deep inside him, he new there was none.In fact, with the death of Ryouga, the Hibikis would have just one more reason for war. His thoughts wandered back to a time before all this, a time before the bloodshed and war. 

---- 

"Ranma!I'll never forgive you for this!Give me back my bread!"Ryouga screamed as he chased a pig-tailed youth through the streets of Nerima. 

Ranma looked behind him and gave a confident smirk."Oh come on, Ryouga.It's not my fault that you're too slow!Besides, I'm hungry.My pop always told me to eat when you can 'cause you'll never know when you're next meal will be." 

Ryouga let out a grunt of frustration as his lungs began to burn like wild fire.How the hell was Saotome so fast?That coward, always running away,why can't he stand and take his punishment like a man? Ryouga's thoughts were interrupted when he collided with Ranma's back, sending both boys sprawled to the ground. 

"Uhgg," Ryouga winced as he regained his feet, his anger already forgotten."why'd you stop like that for, Ranma?" 

The boy in question was already on his feet, his gaze locked onto a woman riding on horseback.She was beautiful and bore the bearing of a noble woman.Her long dark hair cascaded behind her shoulders reaching to her mid back.Her eyes were a deep brown and her smile, at least to Ranma, was breath taking. 

Ryouga looked towards the woman currently occupying his friend's attention and held his breath.Never before had he seen such beauty.His mind attempted to go into shock and would have, if it weren't for the fact that this vision of loveliness was heading straight for him. 

The woman dismounted and stood before the two slack-jawed individuals.She gave them a friendly smile and introduced herself."Hello, I'm Akane.Could you please direct me to the Hibiki Dojo?" 

End Chapter 1. 


End file.
